Cheap Instant Pot meals with real prices

8 Instant Pot meals with real prices (serves 4-6)

1. Beef stew

Chuck steak, potatoes, carrots, onion, beef stock. 30 minutes under pressure cooks the meat tender.

• 1.5 kg chuck steak: $8-10
• 1 kg potatoes: $1.50
• 500g carrots: $1
• Onion, stock, salt: $1.50
• Total: $12-14. Cost per serve: $2-2.33

2. Butter chicken

Chicken thighs (cheaper than breasts), passata, cream, tomato paste and spices. 15 minutes under pressure.

• 1.5 kg chicken thighs: $8-10
• 400ml passata: $1.50
• 100ml cream: $1
• Spices, butter, onion: $2-3
• Total: $14-16. Cost per serve: $2.33-2.67

3. Chicken soup

Whole chicken or thighs with vegetables and noodles. 25 minutes under pressure extracts flavour from bones.

• 1.2 kg chicken thighs: $6-8
• Mixed vegetables (carrots, celery, onion): $2
• Egg noodles: $1
• Stock, salt: $1-2
• Total: $10-13. Cost per serve: $1.67-2.17

4. Chilli con carne

Beef mince, beans (canned), tinned tomatoes and spices. 20 minutes under pressure.

• 1 kg beef mince: $6-8
• 2 x 400g tins kidney beans: $2
• 2 x 400g tins tomatoes: $2
• Onion, garlic, chilli powder, cumin: $1.50
• Total: $11.50-13.50. Cost per serve: $1.92-2.25

5. Lentil dhal

Red lentils don't need soaking. 10 minutes under pressure with tinned tomatoes and spices.

• 500g dried red lentils: $2-2.50
• 2 x 400g tins tomatoes: $2
• Onion, garlic, turmeric, cumin, ginger: $1.50
• Coconut milk (optional): $1
• Total: $6.50-7. Cost per serve: $1.08-1.17

6. Pulled pork

Pork shoulder (fatty cuts are cheaper and cook better). 45 minutes under pressure, shred it, mix with BBQ sauce.

• 2 kg pork shoulder: $10-12
• Barbecue sauce (homemade or budget brand): $1.50
• Stock, salt: $1
• Total: $12.50-14.50. Cost per serve: $2.08-2.42

7. Rice and beans

White rice, black beans (canned), spices. 12 minutes under pressure.

• 2 cups rice: $1.50
• 2 x 400g tins black beans: $2
• Onion, garlic, cumin, stock: $1
• Total: $4.50. Cost per serve: $0.75-0.90

8. Minestrone soup

Canned beans, pasta, mixed vegetables, tinned tomatoes and stock. 15 minutes under pressure.

• 2 x 400g tins beans (white and kidney): $2
• 2 x 400g tins tomatoes: $2
• Pasta: $0.80
• Carrots, celery, onion, stock: $1.50
• Total: $6.30. Cost per serve: $1.05-1.26

Instant Pot vs slow cooker

A slow cooker costs the same ($100-150) but needs 8-10 hours. You buy the same cheap cuts (chuck steak, chicken thighs, pork shoulder) and use identical ingredients. The pressure cooker just does it 4-6 times faster. If you decide at 5pm to cook dinner, an Instant Pot gets it on the table by 6pm. A slow cooker won't be ready until midnight.

Instant Pot vs oven

Ovens cost electricity. A 60-minute oven roast uses about 2-2.5 kWh. At current Australian rates ($0.10-0.15 per kWh), that's $0.20-0.38 per meal. An Instant Pot uses about 0.5-0.7 kWh for the same meal, so $0.05-0.10. Even if you use the oven 5 nights a week, switching to an Instant Pot saves $15-30 per month on power alone.

Best ingredients to buy for Instant Pot cooking

• Chuck steak: Cheap cuts that become tender under pressure. Buy the biggest pack at Woolworths, Coles or Aldi.
• Chicken thighs: Cheaper than breasts, much more flavour. Don't buy skinless; the skin adds taste and is easy to remove after cooking.
• Dried lentils and beans: Red lentils and kidney beans don't need soaking in an Instant Pot. Buy in bulk; a 500g bag lasts 3-4 meals.
• Tinned tomatoes: 400g tins are the backbone of dhal, stew, curry and soup. Buy on special when they're $0.80-0.90.
• Stock: Chicken and beef stock cubes are cheaper than liquid stock. One cube makes 500ml.

Why an Instant Pot makes sense for a lower budget

For families living week to week, time is as tight as money. A slow cooker needs advance planning. You have to remember to put the meal on before work. If you forget, you're eating takeaway. An Instant Pot lets you decide at 5pm and eat at 6pm with the same cheap ingredients and the same food cost. That's freedom.

The electricity saving is real but modest. The real win is that you can use the cheapest cuts of meat (chuck, thighs, shoulder) because pressure cooking breaks down connective tissue. You're not paying for convenience; you're paying the same price as slow cooking or oven roasting and getting your dinner 6-8 hours faster.